Justice News

New Mexico Man Indicted for Possessing Firearms in Shasta County

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Derek Carl Toledo, 30, of Shiprock, New Mexico. The indictment charges him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, on March 8, 2018, law enforcement officers responded to reports that there was at least one car stopped on the shoulder of Interstate 5 near the exit for Sweetbrier Avenue in Shasta County. One of the people near the stopped car was Toledo, who has a prior felony conviction for arson and is prohibited from possessing a firearm. After investigating the scene, officers found a DPMS A-15 .223-caliber rifle, all components for a Bushmaster BA50 .50-caliber rifle, and three loaded 30-round magazines in Toledo's car.

U.S. Attorney Scott stated, “The Department of Justice has made it a priority for federal prosecutors to work in partnership with local law enforcement to reduce violence in our communities. The prosecution of firearms offenses is one way that we can make our neighborhoods safer. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our partners throughout the Eastern District of California to accomplish this goal.”

Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie A. Bridgett stated: “My office is committed to working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to identify local offenders suitable for federal prosecution in order to help reduce violent crime in our community. We share the U.S. Attorney’s goal to protect the citizens of Shasta County.”

This case is the product of investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Forest Service, the California Highway Patrol, and the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Beck is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Toledo faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.